A memory or Us?
by MsRainey
Summary: Cloti CloudxTifa: Post AC: Tifa can't seem to get these plaguing questions off her mind. Can cloud help her overcome her inner turmoil?


_**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFVII_

_**A/N: **Hope you like it! Enjoy!_

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_Which is it? A memory or us?_

What had she meant?

Did she mean Cloud and Aeris versus Cloud and Tifa? Or was it Aeris and Zack versus Avalanche? Tifa bitterly chuckled to herself.

How could she have been so selfish to ask that of him at that chaotic time? Yet, she couldn't help but feel like she needed an answer.

Of course, Cloud had never been one to open up. Cloud was exactly like his name. You could never pinpoint exactly where he was. Always moving. Whether it be on his Fenrir or in his mind.

But what did Tifa know about his mind? He could be a completely different person under those spiky golden locks. She highly doubted it though.

After the defeat of Sephiroth and the other remnants, he had been progressing, she had to admit. But she was falling deeper into the pit of confusion, anxiety, and turmoil.

What she was frightened of was that Cloud would become distant again and she would wake up with him gone and not knowing what to tell the children.

She couldn't do that again.

She just felt so-

So lost.

Instead of being the Tifa as everyone viewed her, she concealed herself. She wore a mask of optimism and cheerfulness to cover the on edge and always wondering when something bad was going to happen, Tifa.

Right now she was waiting for Cloud to return home.

Like always.

She was always waiting.

Would there ever be a time where _he_would be waiting?

She inattentively fingered the pink ribbon tied on her toned arm.

_Which is it? A memory or us?_

He never answered and the question lay abandoned in the air; ready to be acknowledged.

She didn't even realize that she was crying at the moment.

Tifa glanced at the pink ribbon.

"You deserve him more than I do." she whispered.

She wondered if she had lost it because she was now talking to a piece of string.

"_**Dilly Dally Shilly Shally! Don't be silly Tifa!"**_

"Now I know I'm delirious." she stated wide eyed.

"_**Please! The wise Tifa Lockhart delirious?"**_

Tifa shook her head. She definitely needed more sleep.

"_**One thing before I go. If you think he doesn't care about you, who do you suppose he was talking about when he said he couldn't help his family?"**_

Her eyebrows rose.

She did remember him saying that.

_Not my family. Not my friends._

A giggle echoed throughout her head.

"_**Losing faith is blind. But giving up faith is foolish. Remember that Tifa."**_

Tifa frowned.

Faith?

What did this have to do with Faith?

A growling motor snapped her out of her thoughts.

And a few minutes later the door opened to reveal a muddy Cloud. She couldn't help but giggle at how cute he looked when slightly sheepish.

"Sorry. I had a little trouble today."

She smiled and shook her head.

"No problem. Would you like a drink?"

He nodded and sat on the stool across from her and watched as she mixed his drink.

_Losing faith is blind. But giving up faith is foolish._

Tifa still couldn't understand the meaning beneath the words.

She was so concentrated on her thoughts she didn't even realize when she was overfilling the drink.

"Tifa?" His voice had concern in it. True emotion.

She recovered from her thoughts yet again, only to discover the vodka leaking in between her fingers and lacing the once clean counter top.

"Oh!" She hastily grabbed a rag from the sink and began wiping up the mess.

Cloud furrowed his brows and watched her intently. She was distressed, and he could always tell be the way she would irritably blow her bangs out of her lovely wine colored eye.

She was muttering under breath.

"Tifa. Are you alright?"

She looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm fine Cloud."

He frowned.

"If you were fine, you wouldn't be crying."

She quickly brought a hand up to her cheek and to her great disappointment, it was indeed wet.

"I just got dust in my eyes that's all."

His frown deepened.

"You're not a very good liar Tifa."

She quickly fixed another drink and handed it to Cloud. It sat there forgotten.

"I wish I was." she muttered.

He raised from his seat and walked behind the counter to stand in front of her.

Her heart was suddenly threatening to beat out of her chest and she briefly wondered if he could hear it.

Oh, the gods should not be so cruel as to let the forbidden fruit come to the woman.

The fruit she knew she could not have or touch.

The fruit that she was sure did not want her touch.

"Cloud." she whispered.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can talk to me Teef... Always."

She suddenly had the urge to cry. God, he was trying to hard! And what was it with her and crying today? She was supposed to be a strong woman. Not have an emotional attack when she couldn't answer a few questions in her head!

"I just..." she trailed off.

It took every ounce of courage in his body to gently lift her chin upwards.

She felt heat rise to her cheeks. Cloud had never been so bold like that before.

Never been so open.

"Please Tifa. I- I'm here."

She hesitantly raised her hand to his face.

"Always?" she asked. Childish. Curious. Innocent.

He gently lifted his fingers off her chin and hesitantly interlaced his fingers in her hand.

"Always." He nodded.

"Promise?" She asked.

"Promise."He told her.

She hugged him then and felt like the weight of the last couple months had lifted off her shoulders.

It was one word that had made her feel warm again.

Not just the word; The emotion in it.

If you were to know Cloud Strife, emotions didn't always mix with him so when he made yet another promise to Tifa Lockhart, with such indescribable care and no hesitation, she knew it was a promise he would forever keep.

She had faith he would keep it.

Yes, faith.

Cloud kissed her temple and she closed her eyes at the tranquil feeling flowing throughout her body and soul.

A sweet melodious giggle echoed through Tifa's mind.

"_**Looks like you got your questions answered."**_

Tifa smiled and ran a hand through the blonde spikes.

Not all questions are answered with words.

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Please no flaming! I really liked the way this turned out. 


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